The Fight of The Forest
by Fire-Of-Honor
Summary: It's a fight. There some Romance. More to come later. chapter 2 is up!
1. Default Chapter

A Blood-ful Dawn  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, places, or "themes", nor do I presume to do so. In addition, I give full credit to Tamora Perice for the aformentioned things. Also, I didn't jack your story, don't jack mine.  
  
The dawn broke clear and blue over the village as Kealdry of Mindelan finished her glaive workout. As one of only 2 Lady Knights in Tortal, Kel had seen just as much fighting as anyone else.  
And yet, she thought to herself, I'm still relegated to this "path of least resistance" post of establishing village defenses.  
"Are you still sore about not fighting?" asked Neal, Kels long-time friend and fellow Knight. "No." Kel answered halfheartedly, "These people need me. Just like the refugees needed me."  
"Thats the sprit." trillied Neal merrily, as he walked to the infirmary, where he spent his days healing the locals and teaching the village healer new tricks.  
Kel stared at his reateting back for a moment, before turning around and going into her headquaters to begin the days work.  
After placing her practice glaive in it's rack, Kel underssed and sat down in her warm bath. Taking her letters from the table next to the tub, She waved to her servant, Tobe, to go about his business, and began to look through her messages. She quickly disregared the one from Lord Storck, the local noble, and gave only a curory glance at the one from the mage Numair. The final message, though, she tore open at once. It was from her sweetheart, Owen of Jesslaw. Tears welled up in her eyes as she read his words about how much he missed her. Her heart leaped when she reached the end, where Owen said that he would see her at Midwinter, only 5 weeks away, if she didn't get herself killed.  
Upon finishing the letter, Kel got out of the bath and changed into simple brown pants and tunic, along with leather practice armour. Taking up her sword belt, Kel grabed her bow and quiver and headed out to the village common, where she trained the locals in the fighting arts. Several of the village boys were skilled archers, and they were already practicing when Kel arrived. As she was saying hello to the group, a shrill, high pitched scream echoed out from the far side of the village.  
"Quickly" shouted Kel as she turned towords the sound, "All of you, this is why we've been training. It's time to put your skills to the test."  
Kel and the others charged into the village square, just as the final straglers fled in terror at the sight of the monster standing there. Sir Neal did not ever need to say anything.  
The spidren reared back on it's two pairs of hind legs and smashed it's elbows together in a mock effort to make a rude gesture as it retreated, reveling the mauled body of a young woman.  
"After it!" screamed Kel, Neal, and the arches in unison, as they charged after the vicious creature before them.  
It turned to flee as it reached the edge of the forest surrounding the village, and it fell dead as it was pincusioned in the rain of arrows set loose by the village boys.  
But even as they turned to rejoyice, it became apparent tht the battle was not won. Not by a half. Four Scanran soldiers and five half-man half-hours centaurs surged from the forest. They tossed burning torches inot the village as they charged at Kel and her small band of archers.  
  
To be Continued... 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
The rain began to fall even as the immortals and their scanran allies charged forth at the defenders of the forest village. The young archers set their faces as they loosed their feeble arrows at the onrushing horde. A blood-curdling scream sent shivers down Kel's spine as one centaur fell, an arrow in his throat; and the leading Scanran was trampled by his comrades after his horse was killed.  
As the horde drew near, the villagers cast aside the bows, and drew out their short blades. Kel brought out her long-sword, and whistled as she touched the raven on the bottom of the hilt. After the first two kills, it was 6-6 odds for the villagers as the battle commenced. Kel sliced the first Scanran cleanly through the neck as the second lashed out with a long, curved blade. Kel's perry knocked him off balance, and one of the villagers stabbed him as he fell from his horse with a blade taken from the centaur by the villager who killed it.  
"Keep it up!" Kel shouted at the villager, even as she thought privately, "Owen would think that this was just a jolly fight. He'll just agonize about how I got to fight and he didn't."  
Off to the right, two more villagers fought tooth and nail with a gigantic centaur. Its horse-parts were of a chestnut color, and it had a deep, dark upper body. It lashed out with its powerful forelegs, crushing into the first villager's waist, and sending him flying back. The second plunged his blade up to the hilt into the beast's side, twisting it even as the centaur smashed his head in with the butt of his axe with his dying breath.  
Kel had not a moments respite from the fray. The last of the centaurs charged forth, wielding an axe in his right hand. Kel parried its first cut, and leaped back as the immortal kicked out with its forelegs. She wasn't about to repeat the mistake that had almost gotten her killed the last time she had fought a centaur. In one long, sweeping blow, Kel severed the creature's legs at mid-thigh. The beast howled as it fell upon the open wounds, but was silenced as his neck was cut as well.  
An eerie quiet fell as the rain pattered to a stop. Kel turned and surveyed the damage. Of the two village boy's who had fought the centaur, the one who had been kicked was grievously injured, the other, dead from the head wound, still clutching the knife that was buried in the beast. The youth who had killed the first centaur in the close battle and taken its sword had a gash upon his arm and was leaning heavily on his sword and another villager, with what appeared to be a broken leg. Under the body of the third Scanran lay Tom, the defacto leader of the village youths, and Kel's unofficial second in command, his blade poking through the Scanran's chest, even as the Scanran's was sunk through his throat. "Mithros be praised, the rain put out the fire." Kel said as she faced her small band.  
"Mithros be thanked that you're all right" Cried Neal as he rushed out of the village, "Oh, no. Your not."  
"You didn't know, Neal." Said Kel, looking at her friend. "There was nothing you could have done."  
"I could have been here!" He wailed. "If I had let the villagers get themselves to safety, I could have been here to fight."  
"And you could have died, as well" Shouted Kel, "And then where would we be? We need you to heal the wounded Neal, so we can be ready for next time."  
"Well, Well, Well," Sputtered Neal defiantly, "Well, when you put it that way...."  
  
To be continued... 


End file.
